Church from State
by cassielouwho
Summary: Prompt-Simmons gets shot instead of Ward in the Bridge. Spoilers for episode ten! -disclaimer:I own nothing- I had to change some things for this to work. Most likely a one-shot, but you can always convince me to add more.


He waits for her to finish placing the tracker on Peterson. For the most part, they'll all silent. When she finishes, Grant nods to the building chosen for his perch.

It wasn't his idea to have Simmons join him on the perch. He needed to focus on the task on hand. He needed to focus because there weren't a lot of options if things went wrong. Sure, it was a worse case scenario, but it's not something he liked to take a chance on. Though, now Grant has to keep an eye out on the scientist too, which splits his focus some what. May can handle herself, but she can't really split her focus either with three kids who can't protect themselves. Which is why Simmons is following him up the flight of stairs. Now May only has to keep an eye on two.

The only sound that echos through the stair well are their footsteps. He waits at the top for Simmons, she's only half up the last flight of stairs.

"Ok, May will give Fitz the signal down there. All you just need to do is sit here and be quiet. And follow my directions if I say to run, you run and you don't stop." Grant watches the chemist's facial expression. She's nervous, that much is obvious.

"Ok." Simmons answers, for someone nervous she says it with a surprising amount of calm.

Her calmness doesn't last. It dissipates as soon as she's sitting down next to him. The chemist is shivering. If he hadn't told May the line about church from state, he'd offer a few words of comfort. Besides, she's silent and not distracting him. No point in giving her a reason to distract him. Silently, Grant peers into the scope.

"Dammit." He sighs. Grant's lost visual on both sides now. This wouldn't be his choice for a perch, but it was the closest one that they could use on short notice. Then again, he didn't really choose this spot. The people with Peterson's son did. They must have suspected this move. He silently curses himself for such a rookie mistake. Grant knew they had a strategist involved, any one could have easily figured what Grant's move was.

"I can't see them." Jemma whispers to him. Grant allows himself a brief second to shoot daggers at her with his eyes.

Focus, Grant reminds himself.

"Oh thank God. I have no stomach for this." Jemma breathes, when Peterson and his son appear from behind the cover of the cement truck.

"What happened?" He speaks into the comm to May. "They took Coulson. Alright, call it in. We need back up." This was the worst case scenario, on of them at least, that he didn't want to take a chance on.

Jemma's silent beside him. Most likely she's in shock. "I have a shot." Grant informs May.

"Do not engage! They'll kill Coulson. Stand down, I'll contact HQ." May answers right away. Her words knock away any chances Grant has at aiding the situation. From up top, all he can do is access the situation. All he can do is protect the scientist, who's in shock, besides him from danger. And judging from their position there won't be any.

The chemist lets out a shriek when the cement truck explodes. Even Ward jumps back from the scope of his gun. He shakes it off as quickly as he can, and refocuses the scope's view searching for his superior.

"Where's Coulson?" Grant doesn't hide the worry for from his voice. His question is met with another explosion.

"Coulson." The second explosion brings Simmons out of her shock enough to mutter out the name on every one's mind.

An all too familiar buzzing fills the air. Helicopter. A part of him relaxes, some what, it's hard to relax in this type of situation. This is something he can do. He can help. Grant knows he needs to do something. That something, though, escapes from his mind. Grant shakes his head. He can deal with that later.

Carefully and quickly as he can Grant readjusts his grip and view on the gun. It's when gun shots fire from the helicopter that he realizes his mistake. The words die in his mouth when it happens. He watches from the corner of his vision as a bullet finds it's home in her. It's one of those situations when times freezes and you can't do anything to stop what's happening. He can only watch as the force knocks her back against the concrete of the roof top.

"Simmons, come on. I need you to open your eyes."Grants says as he kneels down next to her.

Blood. Lots of blood. Her eyes are shut. Not a good sign. "Come on." He pleads again, fingers canvasing for where it found it's mark. Grant's fingers find the wound, her left shoulder.

Spy movies should be the last thing on Grant's mind, but as he's holding pressure to her shoulder he's silently cursing them. If this was a spy movie of sorts, she'd be getting up and telling him she was alright even if a bit weak. Spy movies always gave the illusion that when someone was shot in the limbs or near them, they'd still be able to function. Now, sometimes it was true, but generally? No.

Bullets were designed to kill. Yes, it was her shoulder that was hit. Only there was bone and arteries that the bullet could have hit. Judging by the blood, it hit something big. Something major.

"Come one, Simmons. Wake up." He urges the unconscious biochemist.

"Ward, what's going on up there?" May asks him though the comms.

He doesn't answer.

"Ward!" She calls out breaking Ward from the silence he created.

"Simmons has been hit." He answers, defeat clear in his voice. "I need medical support."

Grant can hear her May inform the others. He's tempted to take out the comm. This is just another worst case scenario he didn't want to to think about. And the sounds of others displeasure that he can just here from May's is something that he never wanted to entertain.

He's taken off guard, for a good reason, when her eyes flutter open.

"Hey. You're alright." Grant reassures her. There's not much else he can do in this situation. He wished he could do more. He wished he had told her to take cover before it was to late. He wished this wasn't the result of a rookie mistake.

Her eyes -beautiful eyes if this was a different situation-are missing the usual brightness that sparkles with in. They're too vacant.

"C-Coulson?" She sputters out.

"Shh. We'll find him. I know your tired right now, but I need you keeps your eyes open for me. Can you that?" Ward uses the gentlest voice he can, the voice he used with his younger brother when he was hurt.

"Y-yes." She nods with a wince.

He's about to ask about something he saw her reading earlier. Something that will get her to start scientific babble because that will keep her awake and talking, but the words die in his mouth again.

She's smiling. She's smiling one of those care free glassy eyed smiles.

In his experience as a specialist and working in the field with others he has realized a trend. At least with the one's he knows some what. When people, injured, get to the certain point where death is certainly an option, they smile. And despite the firm pressure he's applying, the bleeding isn't stopping.

"May, how long are they going to be? It-It doesn't look good." There's no hiding the panic rising in his voice.

"ETA is 5 minutes now. She'll hang in there. She's strong." It's May's turn to do the reassuring.

When he glances back down at Simmons, her eyes are closed again. With his free hand, Grant reaches to smooth her hair back. He's wanted to do that so long, but never let himself. He wished this wasn't when he was doing it, when he's so close to losing her.

Grant doesn't stop smoothing her hair till they take the scientist from him.

* * *

The coffee in his hands has been cold for a while now. It's still full for the most part too. It's hospital coffee, Grant's had enough of it through the years to know that regardless of the place, the coffee still tastes the same.

" Chipped collar bone and massive bleeding. I told you she's strong." May boasts, well boasting for May, as she sits down next to him.

"It was unnecessary." He spits the words out. "If I hadn't been so narrow minded. If I hadn't been so focused-"

May cuts him off. "You were doing the right thing, Ward. You were focused on the task at hand. The mission went south, and you were trying to save Coulson. There was no cover. There was nothing you could do to help her any more than you did."

Grant shook her head. "I didn't though. I did nothing that helped her except apply pressure to a wound that could have been prevented."

May sighed. "You gave her hope, Ward. You kept her calm, you smoothed her hair. You kept her from freaking out. You saved her."

"I didn't."

May shook her head. "You can say church from state all you want, but we know that's not true when it comes to her. You and I, we're physical. Nothing more, nothing less. You and Simmons, I don't know what you are yet. However, if you just sit her and wallow in self pity you'll be nothing. She'll be waking in the next hour. or so. I suggest you be there."

Grant shook his head and May walked away.

Church from state. Yes, he said the words to May, but they weren't to her. They were for Simmons. He doesn't get up from the uncomfortable chair that digs into his back. He said those words for a reason. Her injuries now serving as a reminder. Church from state.


End file.
